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I’m absolutely hooked on these Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps! I love the heat from the Cajun spice, and the lettuce wraps make for a different and unique way to enjoy tacos!
Lettuce wraps are lots of fun for me! Of course I love traditional tacos with a soft flour tortilla, such as when I enjoy my DIY Taco Casserole recipe or with Instant Pot Birria Tacos. What can I say, I’m a huge bread lover! I don’t think I’ve gone a day without eating some kind of bread, actually! Thought experiment for me now…
But back on topic! Lettuce wraps are just so nice and refreshing on a hot summer’s day. At the time of updating this recipe, we’re in mid-April, and in Canada that means winter just needs to bite the bullet to allow spring to come! I’ve noticed that April showers do not necessarily bring May flowers since oftentimes there’s still snow up here! With that, another thing I love about lettuce wraps is that they’re messy too, and the mess is my favorite part of eating traditional tacos, so I don’t miss out! It’s just a different kind of mess, haha!
I was inspired to make some easy shrimp wraps based on JOEY Restaurant’s Asian shrimp lettuce wraps. That’s one of my favorite appetizers! As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!, going out to eat can inspire you to try new creations in the kitchen! The shrimp lettuce wraps from the restaurant are Asian-style, so I wanted to add a different flair to my shrimp lettuce wraps. If you’ve followed the blog for a while, then you know that I love heat in my food. So I found Cajun spice was a simple yet effective way to season the shrimp!
I’m really excited to be sharing this recipe with you! These Cajun shrimp lettuce wraps are light and so easy to make, and you can easily prepare enough to easily feed a crowd! These Southern Cajun shrimp lettuce wraps are keto-friendly, being low carb and high in protein. Additionally, these shrimp lettuce wraps with Cajun seasoning are simple to make too! You’ll soon see that the most involved part of this seafood lettuce wrap recipe is honestly just preparing your toppings! The shrimp cook so fast, which is one of my favorite parts of this recipe! However, if shrimp has been a pesky protein for you, then don’t worry about it, as I’ll show you how to perfectly cook juicy and tender shrimp. You can prepare these amazing shrimp lettuce wraps as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge, where you can get started for free right now by signing up to my email newsletter, plus you’ll get all of my latest recipes delivered right to your inbox!
Dietary Considerations for Southern Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
These Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps are…
- Gluten-free
- High in protein
- Keto-friendly
- Low carb
- Low calorie
- Full of heart-healthy fats
Tools Needed to Make Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
- Lemon juicer
- Non-stick pan
- Measuring spoons
- Salt crock
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Mixing bowl
- Olive oil dispenser
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Garlic press
Ingredients for Pan-Seared Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
You may already have these ingredients in your kitchen, so this recipe is sure to be a breeze! For all ingredients and their quantities and to save the recipe for later, scroll to the bottom of this post or press the “Jump to Recipe” button to see the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD. You will also be able to scale the recipe based on how many lettuce wraps you want to make so that you have the right amount of shrimp and marinade!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Shrimp: I’ve used large Argentinian shrimp. If you’ve got pre-peeled shrimp, then that will save you some time!
- Red and green bell peppers: Sliced thinly.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Garlic: Minced garlic cloves.
- Cajun seasoning: The main flavor for the marinade! I’m using my homemade Cajun seasoning recipe.
- Olive oil: A little bit for cooking and for the shrimp marinade.
- Iceberg lettuce: To make our lettuce cups to hold in the shrimp and the toppings.
For the Cajun Seasoning
Tips for Cajun-Spiced Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Marinate Longer: If you have time, marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge for deeper flavor. Pre-mix Seasoning: Keep a small jar of your Cajun seasoning ready—it stores well for months and saves you a step later. Pat Dry: Make sure the lettuce is completely dry to avoid sogginess and better hold the fillings. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Cook in batches if needed to get a nice sear and avoid steaming the shrimp. For meal prepping for work/school, store the lettuce wraps like this:
- Shrimp + Peppers in one container
- Lettuce stored dry in a container lined with a paper towel
- Sour cream, corn, pico de gallo, avocado in separate small containers or a bento-style box
Shrimp is great cold, but if you prefer it warm, microwave just the shrimp/peppers for 30-40 seconds before adding to lettuce.
If lettuce wraps are too delicate for your use case, convert this recipe into a bowl by substituting the lettuce cups with rice, or quinoa.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
For the Marinade
If your shrimp are frozen, defrost your shrimp by adding them to a large bowl, and filling the bowl with cold water.
It will take about 15 minutes for the shrimp to defrost. Then, drain the water from the shrimp. If you need to peel and de-vein your shrimp, go ahead and do this.
As the shrimp defrosts, cut your peppers into strips.
In a mixing bowl, add the shrimp, followed by the red and green peppers.
Add 1-2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well. Then, let the shrimp and peppers marinate for at least 5-10 minutes.
To Cook the Shrimp and Peppers
Heat a grill pan on medium to medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp and the peppers. Cook the shrimp for about 1 1/2 minutes on the first side to get a slight char.
Cook the shrimp for about a minute to a minute and a half on one side to get a char.
Flip, and cook for another minute or so until the shrimp are fully cooked.
Flip, and cook other side for another minute or so until the shrimp are fully cooked. Set the shrimp and peppers aside in a bowl until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions for Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Now this is the fun part! Lettuce wraps are lots of fun to me because you get to build your own wrap at the dinner table! Prep your lettuce and toppings and get ready to serve yourself!
In this recipe, I’ll be using some iceberg lettuce for my lettuce wraps, but I’ve also used Boston leaf lettuce in the past, so any kind of lettuce will work!
To get the lettuce into these taco shaped cups, slice a lettuce head in half. Remove the root of the lettuce and then cut each half of the head into two down the middle. The trick is to cut perpendicular to the layers. Do not cut in the same direction as the layers of the lettuce.
Here are the toppings I’m going to be serving with these lettuce wraps:
- Corn
- Sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Authentic Pico De Gallo
I recommend putting everything in ramekins and having your lettuce wraps on the side, as I show here!
That’s it! Feel free to get creative and experiment with other toppings. Here are some additional ideas for you to get creative:
Serve hot and enjoy!
Some FAQs
What if I want to cook this on a barbecue?▼
I wish I had a barbecue, but my current residence does not allow it! That would be amazing! If you do have one and want to get outside and barbecue, then I recommend cutting your peppers into chunks instead of strips for obvious reasons. Also, for tips to cook the shrimp on the barbecue, I would refer to my friend Google.
Can I use another type of lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce?▼
I’ve done this with iceberg lettuce and Boston leaf lettuce. At the end of the day, we want to make lettuce cups, anything that looks like cups or can be cut into cups works. You could even use Romaine Lettuce to make these wraps.
Are Pan-Seared shrimp lettuce wraps healthy?▼
Oh yes they definitely are! These lettuce wraps are loaded with veggies from the red peppers, the corn, and the pico de gallo on top. We’ve got healthy fats from the avocados in our homemade guacamole. Everything is freshly made with the exception of the sour cream and the salsa, but you can find salsas that are minimally processed in the grocery stores. We’ve also got a great source of protein from the shrimp. This meal is very light, so you can really load up on the shrimp and veggies to keep you full!
What kind of shrimp is best for this recipe?▼
My personal favorite is Argentinian Shrimp, which are incredibly sweet and large. These shrimps are usually caught from their natural ocean habitats, giving them a natural sweet taste from the sea.
How to Choose Shrimp for These Lettuce Wraps
The shrimp are the whole dish here — 340 g of them, peeled and deveined, marinated and seared in about five minutes — so what you put in the cart matters more than usual. Start with raw shrimp rather than the pink pre-cooked kind. Pre-cooked shrimp have already been through the heat once, so by the time the Cajun seasoning has toasted in the pan they have gone rubbery. Raw shrimp sit in the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil first, then come out of the skillet with the texture you actually want: firm and springy, with a little bite.
Most large shrimp sold in the United States are either farm-raised or wild-caught, and the two genuinely do not taste the same. Farm-raised shrimp grow in coastal ponds where salinity, water temperature and feed are all controlled, which makes them mild and reliably consistent from bag to bag. Wild-caught shrimp come out of the open oceans and other bodies of water, and their flavor follows the environmental conditions they grew up in — colder, saltier water tends to give firmer flesh and a sweeter finish. Neither is wrong for this recipe. Farm-raised is the forgiving choice; wild-caught rewards you if you are careful not to overcook it.
If your fish counter names a shrimp species, the two you will most often see landed in the Gulf of Mexico are brown shrimp and white shrimp. White shrimp are the milder, slightly more tender of the pair and are the safer pick if you are feeding someone who claims not to like shrimp. Brown shrimp feed differently and carry a stronger, more mineral flavor — which is no bad thing against a spice blend this loud, built on cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, thyme and black pepper. Buy whichever looks freshest and smells of clean sea water rather than ammonia.
Frozen shrimp are fine, and often better than the “fresh” shrimp in the case, which is usually thawed frozen shrimp anyway. Thaw them the way the recipe does: tip them into a large bowl, cover with cold water, and give it about fifteen minutes. Then drain them properly. Wet shrimp steam instead of searing, and the Cajun seasoning slides straight off into the pan.
Serve Them as Appetizers, or Turn Them Into a Stir-Fry
The filling is not locked to the lettuce. Spoon the Cajun shrimp and peppers into individual lettuce cups, top each with a little of the sour cream and a spoonful of pico de gallo, and you have appetizers people can pick up without cutlery. Or drop the wraps altogether: the shrimp, red pepper and green pepper are already cut for a stir-fry, so leave them in the hot pan a minute longer, tip the corn straight into the skillet, and serve the lot over rice. Both dishes come out of the same five-minute cook, which is why one recipe covers a weeknight dinner and a party tray.
Other Incredible and Easy Shrimp Recipes!
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Bold Cajun spices meet fresh, crisp lettuce in these easy shrimp lettuce wraps. Ready in just 30 minutes, they make the perfect quick lunch or dinner packed with flavor.
Stovetop
Rate this recipe ✦
25 min
Prep
5 min
Cook
30 min
Total
2
wraps
medium
Level
Ingredients
Ingredients
Tap any quantity to scale
For the marinade
- (340 g) large shrimp(peeled and de-veined)
- red pepper(cut in strips)
- green pepper(cut in strips)
- lemon juice(freshly squeezed)
- garlic clove(minced)
- (3 g) Cajun seasoning · make your own
- (10 ml) olive oilShop →
For the lettuce wraps
- lettuce leaves
- (30 ml) sour cream
- (33 g) corn
- avocado(sliced, as desired)
- (33 g) Authentic Pico de Gallo · make your own
Instructions
For the marinade
- 1
If your shrimp are frozen, defrost your shrimp by adding them to a large bowl, and filling the bowl with cold water. It will take about 15 minutes for the shrimp to defrost. Then, drain the water from the shrimp. If you need to peel and devein your shrimp, go ahead and do this.
If your shrimp are frozen, defrost your shrimp by adding them to a large bowl, and filling the bowl with cold water. It will take about 15 minutes for the shrimp to defrost. Then, drain the water from the shrimp. If you need to peel and devein your shrimp, go ahead and do this.
- 2
In a mixing bowl, add the shrimp, followed by the red and green peppers. Add 1–2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
In a mixing bowl, add the shrimp, followed by the red and green peppers. Add 1–2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and season with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
- 3
Mix well. Then, let the shrimp and peppers marinate for at least 5-10 minutes.
Mix well. Then, let the shrimp and peppers marinate for at least 5-10 minutes.
To prepare the lettuce wraps
- 1
To get the lettuce into these taco shaped cups, slice a lettuce head in half. Remove the root of the lettuce and then cut each half of the head into two down the middle. The trick is to cut perpendicular to the layers. Do not cut in the same direction as the layers of the lettuce.
To get the lettuce into these taco shaped cups, slice a lettuce head in half. Remove the root of the lettuce and then cut each half of the head into two down the middle. The trick is to cut perpendicular to the layers. Do not cut in the same direction as the layers of the lettuce.
- 2
Refrigerate the lettuce until ready to use. In the meanwhile, prepare the avocado slices and the Quick Homemade Pico de Gallo and portion out the rest of the toppings in bowls or ramekins.
Refrigerate the lettuce until ready to use. In the meanwhile, prepare the avocado slices and the Quick Homemade Pico de Gallo and portion out the rest of the toppings in bowls or ramekins.
To cook the shrimp
- 1
Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp and the peppers. Cook the shrimp for about 1 1/2 minutes on the first side to get a slight char.
Heat a grill pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp and the peppers. Cook the shrimp for about 1 1/2 minutes on the first side to get a slight char.
- 2
Flip, and cook other side for another minute or so until the shrimp are fully cooked. Set the shrimp and peppers aside in a bowl until ready to serve.
Flip, and cook other side for another minute or so until the shrimp are fully cooked. Set the shrimp and peppers aside in a bowl until ready to serve.
Nutrition per wrap
334
Calories
37g
Protein
14g
Carbs
17g
Fat
5g
Fiber
3g
Sugar
329mg
Sodium
Did you make this recipe? Tag @cooking.with.anadi on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingwithanadi
Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
Recipe history
- April 16, 2026 — Reworked and refreshed for the 2026 relaunch — new photography, restructured and standardized ingredients & instructions.
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